The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-02-12
Ehe Reproach of Mourning
BY J. MACDONALD OXLEY.

BY J. MACDONALD OXLEY.
The methods of mourning for the dead
in vogue among civilized nations have
hitherto enjoyed an immunity from the
reformer's hand that can be explained
only by our natural repugnance to max
ing any change in customs consecrated
by the tenderest possible associations.
Nevertheless, we discern cheering indi-
cations of the coming of such revolu-
ton in our mourning customs as will
cause them to be no longer what they
are to-day in so many respects, re-
proach to Christendom.
The proceedings consequent upon a
visit from the so-called King of Terrors
vary but little throughout the English
speaking world. No sooner has the last
faint breath passed from between the
the pallid lips than the house is plunged
in gloom. The daylight is excluded
from every room; streamer of Grape
is affixed to the door; the inmates move
about noiselessly; members of the fam
ily must not show themselves upon the
streets; they speak in whispers, as if
they feared to wake the dead. For days
they live in this unnatural state, and it
is little wonder if sometimes the funeral
hour is hailed with feelings of relief. In
the meantime the body lies in cush-
ioned scasket,' resplendent with the
latest refnements of the undertaker's S
art-as though it would rest the easier
in its grave for that-and is then ready
to receive the friends of the family and
the throng of curious sight-seers, in due
state. Is this seemly2 Is it not re-
pugnant to all right feeling thus to make
show of our dead to crafty vanity or
idle curiosity? The regard felt by the
GaMily and kinsmen of the deceased
for the remains of one who has gone
from them, surely has nothing in CON-
mon with the sentiments of the sight
seeing multitude. In the past, it was
the custom to exhibit the dead in the
open air before the house, or preferably
in the church, in order that the curious
crowd might, at their ease, indulge their
taste for such spectacles. In Difference
to a more refined taste, the exposure
has been removed indoors; but still the
curious and the superstitious are freely
admitted. If a mother wishes her chill
dren to enjoy the 'good-luck' supposed
to be insured by their gazing on the face
of the dead, she and her brood are wei.
come in the house of mourning.
The conventional period of the lying
in state having expired, then comes the
funeral. So patent is the folly of ex-
travagant expenditure at funerals, and SO
plainly is it condemned by common
sense, that we need not consider that
point at any length. But it is impossi-
Bile to pass it by, so long as people per-
sist in making the occurrence of death
an occasion for display. In truth, these
funeral pageants are inspired less by re-
spect for the dead than by puerile love
of pomp on the part of the living. On
what other ground can they be ex-
planned?
Were the survivors entirely free to
do as they pleased in this matter of bury
ing their dead, the question of outlay
would be one of purely private and fam
ily concernment; but the mischief OF it
is, that custom and fashion imperiously
command that, whether the bereaved
ones approve or not, the conventional
programme must be faithfully carried
ont. no matter how cruelty the domestic
resources may be taxed in consequence.
In the absence of some general move
ment looking toward deliverance from
this bondage, it requires no small degree
of courage to obey the dictates of COM
mon sense. But just because such cour-
age is exceedingly rare, things have come
to such pass that people nowadays have
more reason to complain ofthe expense
of dying than of living. Come into
this world how we may, we are heavily
taxed for the luxury of leaving it.
Funeral extravaganza is no mere mod
ern folly; on the contrary, it is hoal
with antiquity, and is endowed with all
the power and prestige of an immemo'
rial usage. Nevertheless there is much
encouragement for its assailants, in the
continuous fire of protest evoked by the
practice, and in such noble examples as
that recently set by the family of the
late Bishop of Ripon. The coffin oi
this eminent churchman was borne tc
the hearse by the sons and other neal
relatives; only relatives and close asso'
...- ...o..L1oJ ~ tba h0,,ca 0f N, o,1rp
ing; humble friends bore the coffin from
the hearse to the church, and thence tc
the grave. The grave was simply adorn
ed, with flowers and ivy, and the whole
ceremony was characterized by an ex
treme simplicity. Aside from the value
of such an example, as protest agains
the custom of holding costly funerals
Ithere is beautiful lesson taught by the
use of flowers at the bishops grave.
Here is another instance of fit anC
decorous funeral rites. The mother O
family having died, the father mus
needs initiate into the solemn mysterie
of death and the resurrection his five
year.old child. Wisely he resolved that
whatever else his teaching lacked, i
should be full of Christian cheerfulness
His child's first acquaintance with deatl
should have no association with gloon
and terror, so that the outgoing of lif'
might seem as natural to her as its in
coming. So, in the days intervening
before the funeral, the household lifl
and work went on as usual. No blacl
raiment, no shutting out of the brigh